Adjusting mechanism for piercing punches



Oct. 8,1940. J. H. M. MICHON 2,217,560

ADJUSTING MECHANISM FOR PIERCING PUNCHES Filed Aug. 7, 1959 1 gaff p7 1r 27 4AM- A Patented Oct. 8, 1940 UNITED STATES snwsrmo MECHANISM FOR rntnomo "PUNCHES Joseph H. M. Michon, Toledo, Ohio Application August 7, 1939, Serial No. 288,866 7 Claims. (01. 164-118) This invention relates to piercing or punching tools and more particularly to means for adlusting the piercing punch and matrix laterally to cause them to properly align with each other and with the work.

The object of the invention is to provide a piercing punch, the coacting elements of which may be adjusted laterally in any desired direction with respect to the die shoes or support to meet various working conditions and securely held in a set position of adjustment.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tool-adjusting device including upper and lower I sets of telescopic eccentric sleeves, the inner l6 sleeve of the upper set being adapted to receive and support a piercing punch and the inner sleeve of the lower set a matrix or button so that by rotating or partially rotating said sleeves the desired lateral adjustment of the punch elements pg may be effected and in which position said punch elements will be securely locked against acci dental displacement.

A further object is to form the inner sleeve of the upper set with an angularly disposed changs no} in which is seated a spring pressed tool retaining ball, means being provided to permit the release of said ball from engagement with the tool when it is desired to remove or replace the latter. A still further object of the invention is gen-- 30 'erally to improve this class of devices so as to increase their utility, durability and efiiciency.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in 5 all the figures of the drawing: Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a piercing punch equipped with the improved adjusting mechanism,

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken 40 on the line 22 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view showing the eccentric sleeves seated within an adapter, Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3, 45 Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view illustrating another form of the invention, and

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 6-5 of Figure 5.

The improved tool-adjusting mechanism form- 50 ing the subject-matter of the present invention is principally designed for adjusting and aligning the upper and lower elements of piercing punches used on metal trimming and punching machines, and in Figure l of the drawing, there i illus- 55 trated a portion of such a machine in which 5 designates the punch plate, 6 the die shoe and I a sheetof metal or other work to be operated upon. The punch plate 5 and die shoe 6 ar formed with openings 8, the walls of which are threaded for a portion of their length, as indicated at 9, a there being a cylindrical recess I0 communicating with the opening in the die shoe and through which the waste metal incident to the punchin operation is discharged. The mechanism for adjusting and supporting the piercing element l I of 10 the punch comprises inner and outer eccentric sleeves l2 and I3, each provided with a tapered portion i4 defining a reduced cylindrical extension I5. The inner eccentric sleeve I2 is provided with an angularly disposed channel IS in which is seated a spring pressed retaining ball ll adapted to yieldably engage a notch or seat 18 formed in one side of the piercing punch ii,

there being a spring l9 seated in the channel and bearing against the ball for normally holding the 20 ball with a portion thereof projecting within the bore of the inner eccentric sleeve, as best shown in Figure 1 of the drawing. Threaded in the opening 8 in the punch plate is a clamping collar or bushing 20 having its bore formed with an inclined or tapered face 22 conforming to the inclined or tapered portion H on the outer sleeve and which collar or bushing serves to clamp the sleeves against accidental rotation after adjustment of the piercing punch II has been effected. The adjusting mechanism mounted on the die shoe 6 is similar in construction to the mechanism on the punch plate, with the exception that the retaining ball is omitted and the inner eccentric sleeve 23 constitutes the matrix or button for coaction with the piercing punch. A wear plate 24 is fitted in the. upper opening 8 to receive the impact of the piercing punch ll during the operation thereof and a similar plate or disk 25 is disposed within the lower opening 8 and formed with a central opening registering with the discharge opening in the die shoe. The inner or exposed faces of the eccentric sleeves as well as the inner ends of the clamping collars or bushings are formed with indentations or notches 26 adapted to receive a screwdriver or other suitable tool to facilitate turning or adjusting said sleeves.

In order to adjust either the piercing tool I l or matrix 23 laterally with respect to the die shoe to cause said elements to properly align with each other and with the work, it is merely necessary to insert a screwdriver or other suitable tool within the notches 26 and rotate said sleeves either to the right or left, as the case may be,

adjustment.

leases the ball from the socket l8 and permits ready withdrawal of the piercing tool. In re placing the piercing punch, the latter is forced upwardly within the inner sleeve; and when the pocket l8 registers with the,ball, said ball will be automatically moved within the pocketby the action of the spring l6, as will be readily understood.

In Figure 3 of the drawing, there is illustrated a modified form of the device in which an adapter 21 is employed for supporting the eccentric sleeves, said adapter being provided with a reduced threaded extension 28 which engages a threaded opening in the punch plate, as shown.

This form of the device is particularly adapted 25 for cutting hexagonal or other angular openings in the work and to this end the lower end of the piercing punch 28 is formed with a plurality of angular faces, indicated at 29.

In Figure 5 of the drawing, there is illustrated 80 a further modified form oi. the invention in which the inner eccentric sleeve is dispensed with, the

piercing punch 30 being provided with a tapered head 3| and the lower or working end 32 of the piercing punch being disposed eccentric to the 85 longitudinal axis of said head.

From the foregoing description, it is thought that the construction and operation of the device will bereadily understood by those skilled in the art and further description thereof is a deemed unnecessary.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. The combination with spaced supports having threaded openings therein, of upper and 45 lower sets of telescopic eccentric sleeves fitting in said openings, the inner sleeve of the lower set constituting a matrix, a tool fitted within the inner sleeve of the upper set and provided on one side thereof with a seat, a retaining ball mounted 50 in the inner sleeve of the upper set and adapted to enter the seat in said tool, there being an opening formed in the lower end of said inner sleeve and communicating with the retaining ball, means for turning the sleeves to effect latu eral adjustment of the matrix and tool respectively, and bushings threaded in said openings for clamping said sleeves to hold the tool and matrix in a set position of adjustment.

2. A piercing punch comprising upper and 5 lower sets of telescopic eccentric sleeves, said sleeves being provided with tapered portions defining cylindrical extensions, the inner sleeve of the lower set constituting a matrix, a tool fitted within the inner sleeve of the upper set, means as for turning the sleeves to effect lateral adjustment of the matrix and tool respectively, and means for clamping the tapered portions of said sleeves to hold the tool and matrix in a set position of adjustment.

3. The combination'with spaced supports having threaded openings therein, of upper and lower sets of telescopic eccentric sleevesfitted in said openings, the inner sleeve of the lower set constituting a matrix and all of said sleeves being provided with tapered portions, means for tum- 'ing the sleeves to effect lateral adjustment of the provided with correspondingly tapered por ions,

a tool fitting within the inner sleeve of the pper' set, means for turning said sleeves to effect laterai-adjustment of the matrix and tool respectively, and clamping collars threaded in said openings and having their inner faces provided with tapered portions for engagement with the tapered portions on the adjacent sleeves.

5. The combination with spaced supports having threaded openings therein, of upper and lower sets of telescopic eccentric sleeves seated in said openings, the inner sleeve of the lower set constituting a matrix, wear plates interposed between the inner sleeves and the adjacent walls of said openings, one of said wear plates. being formed with a recess registering with the matrix,

. extensions projecting beyond the adjacent supportsand having their projected ends formed with tool-receiving notches, and clamping collars threaded in said openings and provided with tapered portions bearing against the tapered portions of the adjacent sleeves.

6. The combination witha support, of an adapter carried by the support, inner and outer telescopic eccentric sleeves disposed within the adapter and provided with tapered portions, said adapter being formed with interior threads, a. working tool fitted within the inner sleeve, means for turning said sleeves to effect lateral adjustment of the working tool, and a clamping collar engaging the threads on the adapter and provided with a tapered portion adaptedto engage the tapered portion on the adjacent sleeve for locking both of said sleeves in a set position of adjustment.

7. The combination with a support having a threaded opening therein, of an eccentric sleeve fitted within said opening and provided with a tapered portion, a working tool fitted within said eccentric sleeve and provided with a tapered head engaging the tapered portion of the sleeve, the working end of said tool being eccentric to the longitudinal axis of the tapered head there- JOSEPH H. M. MICHON. 

